Jury to consider rape case verdict

A jury has retired to consider its verdict after a soldier was accused of raping two women and sexually assaulting a third.

Lance Corporal Lee Busano, 29, stationed at Weeton Barracks, said he was invited to the home of a woman he is accused of attacking.

He denies raping two women and sexually assaulting a third.

Last night the jury was sent home after being asked to retire to return a verdict.

Earlier, giving evidence for the first time at Preston Crown Court, the assistant physical training instructor said the first woman to make an allegation had texted him on an internet site and asked him to “goround”.

Defending, Iain Simkin quizzed him about a text message he received on the day in question. Busano said: “It was suggesting going around to see her and have sex and stuff like that. The communication was sweet so far.”

He said when he had arrived he went upstairs and turned on the television.

He claimed the woman came upstairs, but had rebuffed him when he tried to kiss her saying: “No, no get off me.”

He added: “At first she was (annoyed) because her straighteners had broke.”

He said as soon as he said he would buy her new ones her “mood changed”, and they went on to have sex, before he went to the gym.